Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh says a 1973 Supreme Court decision that established a constitutional right to an abortion is an "important precedent" that has "been reaffirmed many times." (Sept. 5)
AP

Abortion rights have been at the forefront of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings as activists on both sides of the debate believe President Donald Trump's second Supreme Court nominee could become the deciding vote to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

While grilling Kavanaugh about his views on abortion during the second day of his Senate confirmation hearings Wednesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., misstated a study's findings and dramatically exaggerated the number of women who are estimated to have died from illegal abortion procedures.

The number of deaths resulting from those procedures was about 300 in 1950 and was down to about 200 in 1965, according to the Guttmacher Institute. But the study cautions that those numbers are based on what was officially reported and that the actual number of deaths was likely much higher.

Feinstein spokeswoman Ashley Schapitl told USA TODAY the statistic was written incorrectly in the senator's question.

"She meant to cite just the number of illegal procedures, not deaths," Schapitl explained.

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Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh organizes his desk before testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his confirmation hearing on Sept. 6, 2018, in Washington. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh looks over his notes while testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his confirmation hearing in Washington, Sept. 6, 2018. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, joined at left by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, deals with objections from Democratic members of the panel as Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh waits to testify before on the third day of his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 6, 2018. J. Scott Applewhite, AP

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh prepares to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his confirmation hearing in Washington, Sept. 6, 2018. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Supreme Court Associate Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the second day of his confirmation hearing on Sept. 5, 2018 in Washington. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy,who retired from the Supreme Court in July. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Fred Guttenberg, the father of Jamie Guttenberg who was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., left, attempts to shake hands with Brett Kavanaugh as he leaves for a lunch break on Sept. 4, 2018. Andrew Harnik, AP

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the start of his confirmation hearings Sept. 4, 2018, in Washington. His nomination ran into roadblocks as Democrats complained about withheld documents and protesters interrupted the hearing before being dragged out by Capitol Police. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

The battle over Kavanaugh's nomination has been controversial from the start: He would be filling the seat of retiring justice Anthony Kennedy, the court’s swing vote on key issues such as abortion rights, affirmative action and same-sex marriage.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY